准确用词关系到表达的正确和地道,一般而言涉及四个C:
第一个C为connotation(内涵),它比meaning(意义)更为深入。
例如,discount的意思为折扣,但英语中30% discount指原价100元现在卖70元;而汉语中三折指原价100元现在卖30元。汉语表达的很多意思在英语中没有完全对应的说法,但可以尽量找接近的,以提高表达的精确度。《新东方英语》2004年第1期29页一篇讲词汇知识的文章说有时候会犯些小错(mistake),有时候会闹大笑话(blunder),其实blunder是强调错误的严重和非故意,howler才和大笑话对应。
第二个C为collocation(搭配)。
它除了影响地道性(如big rain不如heavy rain地道),还与词义有关,例如apply与for和to搭配时意思分别为申请和运用。须注意的是entitle若和to搭配意思就不是通常的冠名,命名,而是拥有某种权利、地位、荣誉等。be entitled to的用法首先出现于1995年研究生入学考试第25题,2003年上海高考第53题再现时答对率仅11%(显然其中还有许多是猜对的)。
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